Helen Loretta (Cline) Clusman

On December 24, 2023, Helen Loretta Clusman passed away peacefully at her residence at Country Meadows Retirement Community, Frederick Maryland.

Helen was the second of six children, born to Raymond Merrill Cline and Mary Elizabeth Magsam Cline on October 15, 1934 on the Magsam Farm in McConnellsburg, PA. Helen attended school in McConnellsburg and graduated from McConnellsburg High School in 1952.  Helen was a Girl Scout growing up and was the "family ironer" which entailed doing all of the family ironing every Saturday and also hand steaming her father's suits.

After high school, Helen studied at and graduated from the Maryland Medical Secretarial School in Hagerstown.  Upon leaving that school she moved to Washington, DC where she took a job at Walter Reed Military Hospital.

Helen met her late husband, Richard Elmer Clusman, while working at Walter Reed, where "Dick" was a patient. Dick told the story of how after awakening from surgery the first person he saw was his "Angel", Helen. They were married on Helen's birthday in 1955 at the Presbyterian Church in McConnellsburg. For most of her married life she lived in Montgomery County, Maryland.  Helen and Dick returned to live in McConnellsburg in 1984.

Helen was a member of the McConnellsburg Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Women's group.

Helen was an award winning quilter, gifted seamstress, and weaver. Helen also raised sheep on her farm and hand spun the wool on her spinning wheel, which she would then knit into beautiful sweaters. Helen always had some type of handiwork project ongoing.  Helen was a member of the Fulton County Quilt Club and was President of that group for 8 years.  She was also a member of the Hill and Hollow Spinners.  Helen also enjoyed traveling with her husband. They saw much of the U.S and Canada as well as Europe, the Middle East and even northern Africa.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Richard, three of her siblings, Dr. George Cline of St, John USVI, Mary Ott of McConnellsburg, PA and Joyce Engel of the Big Island, Hawaii, and one grandson, Billy Clusman Jr.

Helen is survived by her three children, William (Carolyn) Clusman Sr., Anne (Greg) Gray and   Glen (Shannon) Clusman. She has eight grandchildren, Emily, Charles, Jennifer, Kathryn, Matthew, Sarah and Rachel along with eight great grandchildren, Jason, Kaylee, Remington, Jameson, Ruby, Euan, Hattie and Parker.  Helen is also survived  by two sisters, Janet Champion of Gainesville, VA and Martha Harness of Chambersburg, PA.

The family will have a private service and internment at the Magsam Family cemetery. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donation be made to Helen's favorite organization, Living Waters for the World.

Arrangements were made by the Howard L. Sipes Funeral Home Inc., McConnellsburg, PA.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.howardlsipes.com.